NBC locks up cage fighting TV

Network teams with 'Strikeforce' for show

NBC is joining the fight for fans of mixed martial arts, inking a deal with cage fight company Strikeforce for a weekly latenight showcase on the Peacock.

Net will bow “Strikeforce on NBC” on April 12 at 2 a.m. Deal is a time buy, which means NBC is getting paid by Strikeforce for the half-hour showcase.

Late last month, CBS announced plans for a series of primetime specials featuring MMA. Showtime and ProElite Sports are producing the showcase, which bows May 31 and is designed to boost viewership on the low-rated Saturday night.

Strikeforce began staging fights two years ago. Kevin Cusick of KC Prods. will produce “Strikeforce on NBC” in association with Carr-Hughes Prods.